How painful is leg lengthening surgery durning and after surgery and need more info on this ?
I Broke my femur a month ago and now my right leg is like a few centimeters shorter than the other it does look short and my doctor told me on monday that he recommends i get the surgery to help or if not im always gonna have 2 use shoe inserts in my shoes Need more info on this where would they put the external cage on my thiegh or leg since i broke my femur? HELP
Tagged with: centimeters • femur • shoe inserts • shoes
Filed under: Leg Lengthening
Susan Yarrawonga (280)
The device they would use is called an ilizarov device. They would insert rods through the skin into the bone, break the bone and spread it very slightly. This would cause the bone to being to grow between the break and before the bone hardens, they stretch it again. This is a very involved treatment and can be very painful. If the MD recommends it then it must be worth it, this is not something they recommend lightly. I had a patient previously who had this done after a car accident, they lengthened his leg 6 inches to replace bone that had been shattered and saved his leg! Your MD is the best person to talk to, find some time and talk with them.
The External Fixator (cage) will be along the length of your femur (your thigh bone). The post op pain you’ll have is about as normal as any other post op pain. But then you’ll have to adjust the ext. fixator. That means that 3-4 times a day, you’ll have to turn a knob which will but a stress on your bone and cause it to be in traction. That means your bone will be pulled apart, and therefore new bone will grow in the space. This can take a few months, although, if it’s only a few centimeters then it might take less than 2 months. That will be the painful part. After you get the fixator off, you’ll be good and ready to do whatever you want (once you get all your strength back in your right leg.
If you opt not to get the surgery, then yes, you’ll have to wear the shoe inserts, or lifts for the rest of your life. Wearing heels, running, playing sports and just generally standing or walking for a long time will lead to back pain. This back pain will not go away. Ever!! If it were me, I’d go through the surgery, and go through a few months of pain and discomfort, rather than a lifetime of discomfort.
Good luck.